The 25th UK Soft Drinks Conference brought together key figures from across the soft drinks sector in London, held on a beautiful sunny day on 13 May 2025. Functionality was the day’s hot topic, as industry experts discussed the latest opportunities, challenges and trends over the course of the event. Hosted at the Congress Centre in the heart of London’s vibrant West End and in association with the British Soft Drinks Association, over 200 attendees listened to panels, networked, sampled a selection of beverages and, of course, celebrated the winners of the first UK Soft Drinks Awards. Packed with insight and opportunities, the day featured 28 top producers, experts, retailers and innovators, all exploring the most pressing developments to face the industry, including the latest government legislation, evolving consumer preferences and more. Gearing up for change The event kicked off bright and early at 9am with British Soft Drinks Association’s William Watkins, founder and CEO of Radnor Hills, welcoming all attendees. In the morning sessions, the future of the sector was a key talking point, with lively discussion about how consumer tastes are changing and how sustainability is shaping the industry. Perhaps one of the biggest changes coming to the sector is the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme, which has been announced for the UK and will officially launch on 1 October 2027. Already in use across other parts of Europe, the scheme will transform how single-use drinks containers are brought, used, returned and recycled. The early afternoon panels kicked off with discussions about the scheme and how it will impact the sector going forward, with examples of how it is working in Ireland and what the rest of the UK can expect. Ciaran Foley, CEO of Re-turn, Ireland – the company managing the Deposit Return Scheme in the country – spoke about how the scheme is already making an impact on sustainability. Julian Hunt, vice president of public affairs, communications and sustainability for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ GB and Northern Europe division, also took to the stage to share how Coca-Cola is currently preparing for the scheme’s introduction. The future is functional After some lunch and refreshments, the afternoon panels turned toward the theme of the day: functionality. Many of the speakers talked about the functional drinks movement, touching on how many healthy and sugar-free alternatives to traditional soft drinks have emerged onto the market. Freya Twigden, founder of gut-friendly beverage brands Fibe and Fix8, led an interesting panel on the popularity of prebiotic and kombucha-infused drinks, offering her insights into how companies can embrace this trend without sacrificing the brand recognisability and flavour their consumers are loyal to. Following on from that, attention turned toward mood-boosting mushrooms, with discussions taking place around the increasing popularity of lion’s mane in beverages, a nootropic mushroom celebrated for its cognitive health benefits. The topic of soft drinks’ positioning into a more adult and premium category was also explored, with a session on female-focused functionality led by Chrysi Philalithes, acting chief executive officer of G Spot, the functional beverage company founded by actress Gillian Anderson. Finishing big with the UK Soft Drinks Awards After a packed and insightful event, the day was rounded off in fabulous style with a ceremony announcing of the winners of the inaugural UK Soft Drinks Awards. This year’s ceremony was presented by FoodBev’s marketing director, Dan Bunt. The first UK Soft Drinks Awards recognised the highest standards in taste and design within the soft drinks sector and were open to all UK-based brands across 13 categories, providing plenty of scope for recognition. Judging was certainly tough, with a host of well-loved brands shortlisted, covering everything from premium, alcohol alternative soft drinks to dilutable beverages and wellness offerings. A huge congratulations to all the winners, finalists and commended companies, and thank you to the judges who had perhaps the most difficult job of all – choosing who would walk away as a winner out of so many brilliant entrants. The UK Soft Drinks Conference 2025 was a huge success, offering a comprehensive blend of knowledge, networking and product innovation insights. It highlighted the latest in government regulation and sustainability initiatives and provided us all with valuable guidance as we look toward another fantastic year of growth for the category. We look forward to seeing you next time!

PepsiCo has completed its acquisition of functional soda brand Poppi in a deal valued at $1.95 billion, including $300 million in anticipated tax benefits. The net purchase price stands at $1.65 billion, with an additional earnout tied to performance targets. The move, which was first announced in March , adds another better-for-you brand to PepsiCo’s portfolio, which already includes health-focused names like Siete and Sabra. Poppi, known for its prebiotic sodas made with fruit juice and apple cider vinegar, has gained traction among Gen Z and millennial consumers thanks to its low-sugar formulations and strong social media presence. Ram Krishnan, CEO of PepsiCo Beverages US, said: "Poppi represents a compelling strategic fit within our short- and long-term vision for the future of beverages. Its rapid growth, strong consumer engagement and differentiated functional positioning make it a dynamic addition to our portfolio." "We are excited to scale Poppi's momentum and unlock new growth through our capabilities – we're just getting started." Chris Hall, CEO of Poppi, added: "PepsiCo's belief in the Poppi brand is a tremendous validation of the work we've done to advance our mission. Their partnership and resources will be instrumental as we scale to our next phase of growth. We're incredibly grateful to our passionate community and look forward to welcoming even more consumers into the Poppi portfolio." Financial advisors on the deal included Centerview Partners and JP Morgan for PepsiCo, and Goldman Sachs for Poppi. Legal advisors included Cravath, Swaine & Moore for PepsiCo and Cooley for Poppi.

British B-Corp NutraTea has added two new herbal teas to its women’s health range: NutraMeno, aimed at easing symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, and Spearmint & White Peony, developed to support women with PCOS  (polycystic ovary syndrome) . The additions bring the company’s women’s wellness line to six products, designed to support different life stages including menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. Each tea is formulated with 100% active botanical ingredients, without additives or fillers. NutraMeno combines Red Clover and Shatavari Root, herbs traditionally used to address hormonal imbalances and menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and irritability. Spearmint & White Peony blends digestive support and hormonal balance properties, drawing on traditional herbal medicine. Founded by brothers Anish and Mikesh Patel, NutraTea formulates teas based on Ayurvedic principles and pharmacist-led research. All products are vegan, plastic-free and packaged in recyclable materials. The tea bags are designed for multiple uses. Anish Patel, co-founder of NutraTea, said: “The UK continues to be one of the most dynamic and fast-growing markets for functional tea, driven by a growing consumer focus on health and holistic wellbeing". “Our women’s health blends have been incredibly well-received, so expanding the range with NutraMeno and Spearmint & White Peony was a natural next step. We’re proud to now offer a comprehensive collection that delivers effective, natural support for women through every stage of life.” Mikesh Patel, co-founder at NutraTea, added: “Our reusable tea bags reflect our commitment to sustainability – a small but meaningful innovation that allows our customers to enjoy their tea while reducing waste. It’s all about more wellness, less impact.” The new blends will be available via NutraTea’s website, Amazon, TikTok shop and selected health food stores and pharmacies starting this month. Each box contains 20 biodegradable tea bags and retails at £5.99.

Nestlé has announced a strategic overhaul of its R&D operations, focusing on enhancing its capabilities in biotechnology and establishing a pioneering centre for deep tech. This move aims to streamline innovation processes and align with evolving consumer demands in the food and beverage sector. In a bid to create an industry-leading R&D framework, Nestlé plans to implement a leaner organisational structure that emphasises agility and efficiency. The restructuring will allow for the redeployment of existing resources and the prioritiation of impactful projects, ultimately driving innovation across various product lines. Laurent Freixe, CEO of Nestlé, highlighted the importance of these advancements: "These new capabilities in biotech and deep tech will fuel growth by meeting changing consumer needs and accelerating the digital transformation of Nestlé." The initiative is part of what the company refers to as the 'Nestlé Virtuous Circle,' which aims to unlock investments through operational efficiencies. The enhanced focus on biotechnology is expected to yield significant advancements in nutritional solutions. Nestlé’s R&D will now have increased expertise in clinical research, which will bolster its offerings in maternal and early life nutrition, as well as medical nutrition. The company is also targeting emerging growth areas such as healthy longevity, women’s health and weight management. Key innovations include the development of next-generation screening assays and precision fermentation techniques. These advancements are anticipated to lead to new bio-actives and biotics, including post- and synbiotics, that can enhance both human and pet nutrition. Nestlé's commitment to deep tech is underscored by the establishment of a new centre dedicated to this field, marking a first in the food and nutrition industry. Set to open in 2026 at the Nestlé System Technology Center in Orbe, Switzerland, the centre will focus on developing advanced sensor systems, AI solutions and robotics. These technologies aim to improve operational efficiency and facilitate the creation of innovative products, such as smart coffee machines and self-regulating equipment. Stefan Palzer, CTO of Nestlé, emphasised the transformative nature of these initiatives, stating: "We continue to transform our R&D organisation to embrace science and technology trends and to seize current and future growth opportunities". He continued: "The industry-leading biotechnology capabilities will deliver new ingredients with clinically proven bio-efficacy for precision nutrition for people and pets along their entire lifespan. The upscaling of our unique capabilities in deep tech are key to maximise efficiency in innovation and operations. And all of this is powered by a leaner and more agile R&D organisation."

Echo, a company that specialises in hydrogen-enriched water solutions, has introduced a new whole-home water filtration system designed to remove a wide range of common water contaminants. The Echo Pure Whole Home Water Filter combines advanced filtration with water softening to treat all household water from a central point of entry. The system uses a five-stage process to reduce chlorine, chloramine, PFAS, lead, fluoride, bacteria and viruses. It includes UV light technology for microbial disinfection and is engineered to improve water taste, clarity and odour. © Echo Technologies The system is designed for homes with ¾” to 1” municipal water lines and features a modular design with replaceable filters to extend lifespan. It includes FDA-approved components, NSF 61 certified carbon and is compliant with California Proposition 65. Josh Carr, CEO of Echo, said: "Our customers are looking for trusted ways to protect their family’s health – and water quality is a huge part of that. The Echo Pure reflects our ongoing commitment to combining high performance with thoughtful design. It’s clean, softened water for every faucet, not just the kitchen." The Echo Pure system is priced from $3,499 and is available for purchase at via the brand's website. Top image: © Echo Technologies

Lavazza has expanded its premium coffee portfolio in the US with the launch of a new range of flavoured K-Cups, bringing classic Italian dessert-inspired aromas to the single-serve coffee segment. The new line features three indulgent varieties – Vanilla Affogato, Tiramisu and Caramel Biscotti – each crafted to offer a bold twist on the brand’s signature coffee experience. The additions aim to bring a touch of Italian café culture into consumers’ homes, combining Lavazza’s premium coffee with nostalgic dessert flavours. Lavazza says the Vanilla Affogato K-Cup balances vanilla notes with the brand’s coffee base, while Tiramisu features cocoa flavours intended to resemble the Italian dessert. Meanwhile, Caramel Biscotti pairs warm caramel and baked biscuit aromas for a sweet finish. The new K-Cups expand Lavazza’s existing range, which includes whole bean, ground and other coffee formats. The products are currently available through select retailers and online.

CookUnity, a chef-powered meal delivery platform, has acquired Fraîche, a smart fridge start-up that places healthy, chef-prepared food in offices across New York City. The acquisition supports CookUnity’s effort to make its meals more accessible throughout the day – beyond home delivery and into the workplace. Fraîche operates a network of app-enabled fridges that offer 24/7 access to fresh meals, snacks and drinks. With over 10,000 users and installations in more than 20 NYC office buildings – including sites for companies such as PayPal, Coty and Boston Consulting Group – Fraîche has served more than half a million meals since launch. Its fridge in the Empire State Building dispenses over 200 meals daily. Through the acquisition, CookUnity will integrate its chef-prepared meals into Fraîche’s platform, giving office workers immediate, on-demand access to meals just steps from their desks. Users can browse the daily selection via the Fraîche app, unlock the fridge and grab their food, no pre-ordering required. CookUnity partners directly with chefs to create meals that are delivered fresh to customers. By pairing its culinary infrastructure with Fraîche’s smart-fridge technology, the company aims to change office dining while collecting data on employee food preferences and habits. Txim Lizarazu, Fraîche co-founder and CEO, said: “With CookUnity’s infrastructure and culinary excellence, and our smart-fridge technology platform, we now have the foundation needed to continue improving the food system at scale. This partnership unlocks the ability to serve millions – from corporate towers to underserved communities, from NYC to every city in America – and keep improving how people eat at work.” Mateo Marietti, founder and CEO of CookUnity, added: “At CookUnity, our goal has always been to make great food from celebrated chefs a daily reality for more consumers. The addition of Fraîche allows us to do that in an exciting new way. Weekly meal subscription is our core business today but our full ambition is to create the world’s leading food platform.”

Blue Diamond Almonds has partnered with 7-Eleven to introduce a new snack product inspired by the popular Cherry Slurpee flavour. This collaboration aims to tap into summertime nostalgia while offering consumers a protein-rich alternative to traditional sweet snacks. The newly launched Cherry Slurpee Almonds combine the classic crunch of Blue Diamond's almonds with the sweet flavour of cherry, designed to appeal to consumers seeking both taste and nutritional benefits. Each serving contains antioxidant vitamin E and 7g of protein, positioning it as a convenient on-the-go snack for summer activities. Maya Erwin, vice president of marketing and innovation at Blue Diamond, highlighted the choice of cherry as a quintessential summer flavour. “Bringing this flavour to our protein-packed almonds makes it the perfect snack for the flavours you crave in the warmer months,” she commented. This product rollout follows Blue Diamond's recent collaboration with Mike’s Hot Honey, reflecting the company's strategy of innovating through partnerships that leverage trending flavours. Cherry Slurpee Almonds will be available for a limited time at various 7-Eleven locations nationwide, including Speedway and Stripes stores, in 1.5-ounce snack tubes priced starting at $1.79. The collaboration between Blue Diamond and 7-Eleven highlights a growing trend in the food and beverage sector: the fusion of nostalgic flavours with health-conscious products. As consumers become more aware of nutritional content, brands are challenged to innovate while maintaining flavour appeal. Randy Quinn, senior vice president of merchandising at 7-Eleven, noted that reimagining the beloved Cherry Slurpee flavour in a new format allows the retailer to extend summertime nostalgia beyond the beverage aisle. This move could potentially enhance customer loyalty and drive foot traffic to stores.

As consumer expectations for speed and convenience continue to reshape the foodservice landscape, innovative solutions are stepping in to bridge the gap between digital ordering and real-world fulfilment. One such solution is smart food lockers – a technology transforming the order pickup experience for both operators and customers. To learn more, we spoke with Kent Savage, founder and executive chairman of Apex Order Pickup Solutions. Can you tell us a bit about the origins of Apex and how the idea for smart food lockers came about? Our story began over 25 years ago at Apex Supply Chain Technologies, where I patented the first industrial vending solution. A decade ago, we launched our first click-and-collect smart lockers and quickly saw the potential to revolutionise food order pickup. That momentum led us to focus exclusively on this fast-growing market, ultimately launching a new company: Apex Order Pickup Solutions. How do the lockers work, technically? What happens from the moment a customer places an order to the moment they retrieve it? Most people focus on the physical item the 'locker' itself – but the real power lies in the technology behind it and elevated experience we create for each of our customers. Let’s use the Pittsburgh Zoo as an example. Customer places their order through an on-site kiosk. Food is prepped and packaged. Team member enters unique order ID at the back of the locker. Compartment lights up to show team member where to place order. Team member places order in compartment and presses complete. The customer receives a real-time notification via text that their order is ready for pickup. The customer enters their unique pick-up code, which opens their compartment door. They take their order and are on their way. How secure are the lockers, and how do you ensure food safety – especially for temperature-sensitive items? Our smart lockers are highly secure. Each compartment can only be opened using the unique code tied to a specific order. That means no mix-ups, no unauthorised access and no confusion at pick up. When it comes to food safety, Apex solutions are designed for speed and visibility. Operators can customise dwell time alerts to ensure orders don’t sit too long. Our ApexIQ technology platform provides actionable data on create-to-load times, helping teams move faster and maintain food quality. Most orders spend less than six minutes in the locker, so food stays fresh and guests get a better experience. Are there any particular sectors or regions where you’re seeing the most demand right now? We are seeing growth across all sectors of foodservice, as consumers today are all about speed and convenience. Students on university campuses want to mobile order and pick up quickly from a secure compartment in between classes. Restaurants are incorporating our solution into their overall off-premises strategy. And places like airports, cinemas and zoos are utilising our solution to aid in the guest experience. How do smart food lockers change the in-store dynamic or staffing needs for restaurants? Smart locker solutions really change the dynamic in terms of how a restaurant operates, especially during busy times. Instead of having staff constantly running to the front to hand off orders to guests or delivery drivers, the solution handles that part. That means teams can stay focused on what they do best, making great food and taking care of in-store/dine-in customers. You’re not pulling someone off the line every five minutes to deal with pickups. It also makes scheduling or redistribution of resources easier. You don’t need an extra person just to manage takeout orders or chase down drivers. And the technology gives you visibility into pickup behaviour, so you can adjust staffing based on actual trends, not guesswork. So overall, it cuts down on chaos, helps you do more with fewer people, and gives everyone – from staff to customers – a smoother experience What’s been the biggest challenge so far in bringing this tech to market? As with any new technology or process change, foodservice operators wanted evidence that adopting our order pickup solutions would improve customer service as well as provide measurable business benefits such as increases in revenues and operating efficiency. We needed to build a base of users to prove the ROI. Today we’ve deployed across over 5,000 operating locations including restaurants, campuses, hospitals, airports and more, so we have both data and customer references showing how our smart locker technology is enabling faster food pickup, reducing customer lines and order mix-ups, and helping optimise staffing and overall operations. These proof points, along with the ongoing growth in takeout, are helping fuel demand for our solutions. Are there sustainability benefits as well, like reduced packaging waste or energy efficiency? Definitely! They reduce waste on multiple fronts. By streamlining the handoff process, our solutions help cut down on abandoned or remade orders, reducing unnecessary food waste and extra packaging. They’re also energy-efficient, requiring no constant heating or cooling. It’s a smarter, greener way to manage high-volume order pickup. For operators looking to boost both efficiency and sustainability, they're a clear win-win. How do you see the future of food pickup evolving? Trends towards off-premises food order consumption and digital ordering will continue to accelerate. To better serve customers and third-party delivery drivers, streamlined order pickup will be widely implemented across all sectors. In five years, it will become the norm. It will be ubiquitous. What's next for Apex? Are there any new features or innovations Apex is currently working on? At the National Restaurant Show in Chicago (17-20 May), we will be launching a new modular, scalable line called the OrderHQ Array Series that enables operators to achieve the efficiencies of automated food pickup without expensive remodeling. Compartments can be arranged horizontally or stacked vertically and can sit on a countertop, mount on a wall or be installed in a free-standing grid, accommodating the restaurant’s existing floor plan. Operators can start with a few compartments and add more at any time to meet growing mobile order demand, and affordable subscription plans eliminate the need for capital investment. With all of these design and financial benefits, we expect the Array Series to significantly accelerate demand for our smart locker solutions.

Christian Schmitz Selecta Group, a player in the European foodtech sector, has announced a significant change in its senior leadership. Christian Schmitz will step down as CEO, with Michael Rauch appointed as interim CEO. This transition comes at a pivotal time for the company, which has recently completed a recapitalisation aimed at enhancing its growth trajectory. Christian Schmitz has led Selecta Group for five years, during which he has overseen a transformation that positioned the company as a key force in the competitive foodtech landscape. In his statement, Schmitz expressed pride in the progress made and indicated that the current moment is ideal for new leadership to guide the company into its next phase. “With Selecta's recapitalisation agreed, I am confident that now is the ideal moment to entrust its next chapter of growth to new ownership,” he commented. Michael Rauch, who brings extensive experience from his previous roles as CEO and CFO of CompuGroup Medical, as well as CFO of Douglas Group, will take on the interim CEO role. His background includes a long tenure at Henkel, providing him with a solid foundation for leading a pan-European business. Michael Rauch Marc van der Plas, chairman of Selecta Group, acknowledged Schmitz’s contributions, particularly during challenging periods. He noted: “Christian has led the group through some challenging times and delivered a transformational recapitalisation, leaving the business with significantly improved prospects.” The board expressed confidence in Rauch’s ability to leverage the enhanced capital structure to pursue growth opportunities and improve competitiveness across all markets. This leadership change is expected to facilitate an orderly transition, with Schmitz and Rauch collaborating closely during the handover period. The board aims to ensure continuity in strategy and operations while positioning Selecta for future success.

Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I), the maker of Lucozade, has invested £6.3 million in redesigning its Lucozade Energy bottles, cutting plastic use and improving recyclability. The new design features a half sleeve that covers just 50% of the bottle’s height, reducing sleeve weight by 60%. This change will remove 956 tonnes of plastic from the supply chain each year and cut water usage in production. The update required installing new sleeving equipment on three production lines at SBF GB&I’s Coleford factory. The installation, completed in six weeks, took a total of 470 working days. Karl Ottomar, supply chain director at SBF GB&I, commented: “As one of the biggest energy brands in the UK, producing over 3,000 bottles of Lucozade Energy per minute, this has been a complex and large-scale change for our factory. While reducing a drink’s sleeve size may sound simple, it has required a full redesign of the bottle and complete change in componentry on our production lines." "The team have dedicated thousands of hours to plan and then successfully implement the changes on our lines and I’m so proud of their incredible commitment to this project and helping us meet our sustainability goals.” Fraser McIntosh, head of external affairs and sustainability at SBF GB&I, commented: “This change marks a significant step forward in our journey towards achieving 100% sustainable plastic packaging across our portfolio by 2030". "At a time when we face increasing cost pressures as a business, we continue to prioritise sustainability, demonstrating our company value of Growing for Good. It’s another major investment in our factory, helping to build a sustainable future for our brands.” The change improves recyclability by making it easier for bottles to be sorted into the clear plastic stream at recycling centres – a key step in bottle-to-bottle recycling. Industry body Recoup confirmed the new bottle meets recyclability guidelines. Packaging accounts for 15.5% of SBF GB&I’s Scope 3 emissions. Removing nearly 1,000 tonnes of plastic annually supports the company’s goal of cutting these emissions by 30% by 2030. Paul East, head of packaging recycling and design at Recoup endorsed the move, adding: “Recoup are proud to have been part of the journey to redesign the Lucozade Energy bottle. This new design meets recyclability guidelines, meaning the bottles can be easily sorted at recycling centres and reduces the amount of overall plastic produced. The next step is to encourage more consumers to dispose of the bottles correctly, in the certainty that the bottle will be detected and recycled.” The new bottles also include an embossed version of Lucozade’s “Arc” logo for better grip and brand visibility. They are now rolling out in stores.

Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) has inaugurated a new soluble coffee facility in Linhares, Espírito Santo, marking a notable expansion in its manufacturing capabilities. This facility is strategically positioned to capitalise on the region's robust coffee production, as Brazil is a key player in the global soluble coffee market, which is projected to reach $52.2 billion by 2031. The Linhares facility is located in Brazil’s Conilon coffee region, which produces around 70% of the country’s robusta coffee. By processing coffee beans sourced locally, OFI aims to strengthen its supply chain while contributing to the local economy. The facility is expected to create 300 permanent jobs and generated 1,200 construction jobs during its development. Vivek Verma, managing director and CEO of coffee at OFI, said: "This inauguration represents a triple win – for local communities, for our customers and for the environment. By processing coffee at the source, we're strengthening our integrated supply chain and farmer partnerships to deliver traceable, sustainable soluble coffee products to our customers. A strengthened innovation infrastructure focusing on value-added coffee products will build growth opportunities in South and North America, while also serving consumption markets in Europe and Asia." The facility places high importance on sustainability, operating on 100% renewable electricity and utilising biomass boilers that convert coffee production waste into energy. This approach aims to reduce the carbon footprint associated with coffee production. The facility spans 53,000 square metres and is equipped with advanced technology for producing diverse soluble coffee products, including spray-dried, freeze-dried and liquid concentrates. Additionally, all coffee beans processed at the Linhares site are fully traceable and certified by the Rainforest Alliance, which aligns with industry standards for ethical sourcing. The new facility complements existing soluble coffee processing operations in Spain and Vietnam, allowing OFI to better serve its global customer base. The expansion comes at a time when the demand for soluble coffee is increasing, driven by consumer preferences for convenient coffee solutions. Renato Casagrande, governor of Espírito Santo, added: "The inauguration of OFI’s new soluble coffee factory in Linhares is a milestone for the development of the state of Espírito Santo. It is a modern facility equipped with the best available technology to produce freeze-dried and spray-dried soluble coffee. Our state takes great pride in welcoming sustainable and cutting-edge ventures like this one.” This development is part of OFI's broader commitment to sustainability, which includes building an integrated global network of 19 innovation centres focused on various food products, including cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices.